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Read more about the article Pool Tools the Pros Use

Pool Tools the Pros Use

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:February 19, 2019
  • Post category:Equipment/Product Review

Whether you are brand new to the service industry or just looking to maintain your existing pools, buying the equipment needed to keep a swimming pool in good condition can…

Continue ReadingPool Tools the Pros Use
Read more about the article University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kessing Pool

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  • Post author:Contributor
  • Post published:January 28, 2019
  • Post category:University Aquatics

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Aquatics and Community Programs If you recall, in December we spoke with University of Houston's Assistant Director of Aquatic Operations, Cara Green.This month, University of…

Continue ReadingUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Read more about the article Copper Stains in Swimming Pools

Copper Stains in Swimming Pools

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:January 13, 2019
  • Post category:Staining

   Blue, Green, Black, Gray, and Purple!  Photo credit: CDC, 1964, Puerto Rican public health weighing out a measure of copper sulfate. They would then apply this waterway to control…

Continue ReadingCopper Stains in Swimming Pools
Read more about the article The Pool Service Entrepreneur

The Pool Service Entrepreneur

  • Post author:Contributor
  • Post published:January 1, 2019
  • Post category:Pool Service Tips

The Pool Service Entrepreneur Several years ago I attended a social event in town where a young woman approached and introduced herself. After exchanging names she asked the familiar question:…

Continue ReadingThe Pool Service Entrepreneur
Read more about the article University of Houston Aquatics

University of Houston Aquatics

  • Post author:Contributor
  • Post published:December 23, 2018
  • Post category:University Aquatics

Managing a large aquatic facility at a university like the University of Houston Aquatics requires balancing the needs of multiple user groups while maintaining strict water quality, safety, and operational…

Continue ReadingUniversity of Houston Aquatics
Read more about the article Chlorine Gas Cloud Injuries at Public Pools

Chlorine Gas Cloud Injuries at Public Pools

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:December 17, 2018
  • Post category:Chemical Safety

  Chlorine Gas Cloud Injuries at Public Pools: The Role of Circulation and Safety Interlocks Chlorine Gas Cloud Injuries at Public Pools can lead to serious health concerns and need…

Continue ReadingChlorine Gas Cloud Injuries at Public Pools
Read more about the article Raise Pool Service Prices

Raise Pool Service Prices

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:December 11, 2018
  • Post category:Marketing

Raise Pool Service Prices: A Practical Guide for Pool Service Professionals To successfully raise pool service prices, professionals should communicate transparently with their clients about the reasons for the changes.…

Continue ReadingRaise Pool Service Prices
Read more about the article Field Sampling of Swimming Pool “Black Algae”

Field Sampling of Swimming Pool “Black Algae”

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:December 3, 2018
  • Post category:Algae/Subscription Content

Wet mounts were prepared from the sample biomass and examined at 100× magnification using a Nikon Eclipse Ti-S inverted microscope equipped with phase-contrast optics and epifluorescence. Field Sampling of Swimming Pool “Black Algae”

Continue ReadingField Sampling of Swimming Pool “Black Algae”
Read more about the article Microcystin Analysis in Swimming Pool Cyanobacterial Biofilms

Microcystin Analysis in Swimming Pool Cyanobacterial Biofilms

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:December 3, 2018
  • Post category:Algae/Subscription Content

Microcystin Analysis in Swimming Pool Cyanobacterial Biofilms

Continue ReadingMicrocystin Analysis in Swimming Pool Cyanobacterial Biofilms
Read more about the article Florida Southern College Aquatics

Florida Southern College Aquatics

  • Post author:Contributor
  • Post published:November 25, 2018
  • Post category:University Aquatics

We are fortunate at Florida Southern College Aquatics that the school sees the pool and swim team as a priority, and we are able to maintain our pump room and ensure we are up to code at all times.

Continue ReadingFlorida Southern College Aquatics
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Read Rudy's Column in AQUA Magazine
Talking Pools Podcast
Talking Pools Podcast

If you’ve ever stared at a test kit like it personally insulted your family… welcome home.

Talking Pools Podcast is the pool industry’s “pull up a chair” show—part shop talk, part field manual, part therapy session—built for people who actually live on pool decks: commercial operators, service techs, builders, facility managers, and anyone responsible for water that can’t afford to go sideways. The network was created to level up the pool industry with real-world conversations on water chemistry, filtration, troubleshooting, construction, safety, and the business side of keeping pools open and budgets intact. 

Here’s the hook: it’s not theory-first. It’s experience-first—a roster of seasoned pros (with 250+ years of combined “been there, fixed that” wisdom) turning complicated problems into practical moves you can use the same day.  And it’s not one voice, one vibe, one corner of the industry: it’s a network of shows designed to reflect how diverse this work really is—different regions, different specialties, different personalities. 

Also worth saying out loud: women aren’t “special guests” here—they’re on the mic as hosts, from the beginning, with an intentionally balanced roster.  That matters, because the best ideas in this industry don’t come from one lane—they come from the whole road.

If you want a podcast that can make you laugh and make you better at what you do—without pretending the job is easier than it is—Talking Pools is the one you queue up before the first stop, and keep on when the day starts getting weird. 

Jeff Hampe: Mentorship, Mosaic Mastery and Pool-Tile Myths
byRudy Stankowitz

Ask a question here

Natalie Hood continues her conversations with the 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Mentors by sitting down with Jeff Hampe, a longtime pool professional known for his all-tile pools, artistic glass mosaics and uncompromising attention to detail.

Jeff shares how he progressed from repairing hot tubs in New Jersey to cleaning pools, repairing equipment, performing leak detection and eventually becoming a licensed pool contractor and sought-after mosaic specialist. He also discusses the craftsmen who mentored him, why he freely passes that knowledge forward and the satisfaction of watching someone build a better life through a skilled trade.

The conversation then shifts into Mythbusting Wednesday territory. Jeff explains why a tile labeled “pool rated” may still be the wrong choice, what he prefers for submerged applications and why translucent glass tile can become an expensive failure. He and Natalie also tackle waterproofing, calcification, efflorescence, thermal expansion, delamination and the limitations of cementitious installation products.

Jeff closes with his growing interest in fully tiled fiberglass pools, why field experience remains essential and what would come packaged with the official Jeff Hampe action figure.

In This Episode

  •  Jeff’s journey from hot-tub repair to high-end mosaic and all-tile pools 
  •  How Jimmy Reed and Danilo Bonazza influenced his craft 
  •  Why Jeff considers attention to detail a professional advantage 
  •  Turning a landscaper into a highly skilled, well-paid tile installer 
  •  How mentorship spreads when students begin teaching others 
  •  Why “pool rated” does not automatically mean suitable for every pool 
  •  Jeff’s preferred tile thickness and construction for submerged applications 
  •  The risks associated with translucent glass tile 
  •  How UV exposure and different expansion rates contribute to delamination 
  •  Why waterproofing alone does not eliminate calcification or efflorescence 
  •  The role of epoxy installation products in all-tile pools 
  •  What visible deposits along grout lines may reveal beneath the tile 
  •  Why hands-on jobsite experience cannot be replaced by classroom instruction 
  •  Learning from installation failures without lowering professional standards 
  •  The industry’s reliance on traditional distribution 
  •  Why Jeff believes fiberglass deserves greater consideration 
  •  Crumbled Italian sausage, jet skis and the Jeff Hampe action figure 

Featured Guest

Jeff Hampe
2026 Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Pool Industry Mentor

Sponsored By

REVDUP Apparel, H2Flow Controls and PoolBrain.

The technical opinions expressed during this episode reflect the guest’s professional experience and installation practices. Product selection and installation requirements should always be verified for the specific application.

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening! You can find us on social media:

  • Facebook
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  • Tik Tok

Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com

Jeff Hampe: Mentorship, Mosaic Mastery and Pool-Tile Myths
Jeff Hampe: Mentorship, Mosaic Mastery and Pool-Tile Myths
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Chemicals in the Skimmer, Insurance Gaps & the Pool Guy Who “Feels” the Water
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Selling Your Pool Business? Protect Yourself Before You Sign
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